What famous city was built on water?

Venice (/'v?n?s/ VEN-iss; Italian: Venezia [ve'n?ttsja]) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are linked by over 400 bridges.



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There has been evidence of building Venice on top of its lagoons found as early as ancient Rome. On Torcello, historians have found a proof of lagoon landscaping to make an area for fishing and salt pans, indicating that there was commerce around these two commodities.

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Swimming in the Venice Canals is prohibited. The canals are primarily residential areas, and the water quality is not suitable for swimming.

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An Innovative Foundation: Anchoring the Floating City The buildings in Venice were built with long wooden piles that were driven deep into the ground. These piles went down through the soft silt and dirt to a layer of hard clay that was strong enough to hold up the buildings above.

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Most of Venice's sewage goes directly into the city's canals. Flush a toilet, and someone crossing a bridge or cruising up a side canal by gondola may notice a small swoosh of water emerging from an opening in a brick wall.

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10 Facts About Venice
  • Venice is known for its bridges. ...
  • Houses in Venice are numbered according to districts, not streets, making it difficult to find addresses, even for postmen. ...
  • There are about 350 gondolas and 400 gondolieri in Venice. ...
  • In 1608, the Council of Ten approved wearing masks only during the carnival.


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Over centuries, many of the buildings built atop this unstable foundation have shifted position and, in numerous instances, started to sink into the mud. Historical groundwater extraction has enhanced this impact, and Venice has sunk roughly 15cm (5.9in) over the past century.

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The canals of Venice are among the world's most romantic places, but before the atmospheric waterways we know and love today came into existence – before the grandeur of the city's opulent palazzos and piazzas – there was only a marshy, muddy lagoon with little going for it beyond a smattering of 124 small islands.

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“Many buildings in Venice were built with waterproof basements made of white Istria stone. The upper levels however were made of bricks and mortar,” explains Dario Camuffo. “Now the waterproof level is no longer high enough to withstand the high water level. The bricks are impregnated with salt from the sea water.

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